EssayQuestions

1.Pleasetalkaboutasocialissueofmostconcernforyou.Whatdoyouunderstandtobe
itsrootcausesanditspotentialsolutions?Whyareyoupassionateaboutthisparticular
issue?

Thesocialissuethatmostconcernsmeistherighttoaquality
education.ThereasonwhythishasbecomesuchahottopicinAmericansocietytoday,
andallovertheworld,isbecauseeducationisdirectlycorrelatedwithindividualssocio
economicclassandsocialmobility.Furthermore,educationcarrieswithitseveralsocial
andculturalties,dependingonthecommunityaschoolisin,thatinformpeoplesidentity
formation.Withagrowingwealthgap,risingcostsofhealthcareand

livingexpenses,peopleturntoeducationastheonlywaytobe
preparedtoentertheworkforce.Inmyopinion,onecannotdiscussschool
reformwithouttalkingaboutsocialreformsincethe largestdeterminantofa
studentsacademicperformanceistheirconditionsathome.Giventhat

peoplesstandardoflivingiswhollydependentontheirincome,theissueisfindingthe
resourcestosupportunderservedpopulations.
ThisisatopicIampassionateaboutbecauseIhaveseenthelonglastingeffects
thateducation,whethergoodorbad,canhaveonpeopleslives.Theeducationsystem
todayencouragespeopletocomparethemselveswithoneanotherandstudentsare
assignedpercentagesandlettergradesthatdetermineatheirvaluetotheschoolandthe
workforce.Thatnudgeoutofmycomfortzonemademefallinlove

withthetransformativeprocessthatanewkindofinformationcan
havetonourishthehumanspirit.Aftermyteacherscaredtolistentomeandget
toknowme,theytransmittedtheirbeliefintoaprojectwhereIcouldprovetomyselfthat
Iwasworthmuchmorethananumberorlettergrade.Thatconfidencehascontinually
expandedsincethenandithashelpedmetakeadvantageoftheopportunitiesinmylife.

2.Pleaseshareastoryaboutatimewhenyoudirectlyexperiencedorobservedasocial
injustice.Howdidyourespond?Howdidtheexperienceimpactyou?
AhugepartofmyidentityandthewayIunderstandmydevelopmentisthefact

thatIamaMexicanimmigrant.Iexperiencedvariouscultureshocks

andprejudicesthatwereinitiallypainful,buttheybecamemomentsI
wasgratefulforbecauseIgrewtounderstandmypeersandmyself
betterbecauseofthem.Firstofall,Idefineasocialinjusticeasadegrading

experiencethatstripsapersonorgroupofpeoplefromtheirhumandignityand/orrights.

OnerecentexampleofthiswasduringthelastPresidentialelection
whenIwasunabletocastavotebecauseIamnotaU.S.citizen .My

friendsandteacherswereshockedbecausetheyassumedmycitizenship,andfranklyIdo
identifymorewithAmericanculturesinceIhavelivedintheU.S.sinceIwassixyears
old.Granted,IamapermanentresidentandthatIamonmywaytobecomingacitizen,it
wasjustanotherreminderofmyalienstatus.Ididnotrealizetheimpactthat

suchasmallincidentwouldhaveonme,buteversincethenIthink
aboutallofthefreedomsthatAmericanshavethattheytakefor
grantedorsimplydonotevenrecognize.
ThispastNovemberIwashonoredtobeapartofLoyolas

delegationattheIgnatianFamilyTeachInforJustice.Ourgroupmetwith
oneofJanSchakowskysstafferstoadvocateforhumaneimmigrationreform.Whilewe
wereonCapitolHillIthoughttomyself:IammakingmyvoiceheardandI

amrepresentingallofthoseimmigrantswhocannotbeheretodayto
claimtheirrights.ThatwasthemomentwhereIfeltIwasreclaiming
myrightasaresidentoftheU.S.tonotonlybeheardandclaimmy
humandignityandrespect,butalsotoadvocateforotherswhoare
silencedandcannotclaimthoserightsforthemselves.

3.PleasetellushowyouthinkparticipatingintheSocialJusticeInternshipGrant
Programwillbenefityourpersonal,educational,andprofessionalaspirations.
ParticipatingintheSocialJusticeInternshipGrantProgramwouldallowmetocontinue
livingoutmymissionofservingstrugglingpopulationsthatgounrecognized. My

ultimateprofessionalaspirationistoworkwithnonprofitsthat
empowerstudentstoseetheirownpotentialandconnectthemwiththe
resourcestheyneedtoseetheirambitionsthrough.Morespecifically,I
wouldliketosupportcivicengagementandleadershipprojectsinhigh
schoolsthatwoulddemonstratethedifferencethatstudents
contributionsandinitiativescanmakeintheircommunities.However,
beforeIcandothis,Iwanttohavemoreexperienceworkingwithunder
servedpopulationsandlearnmoreabouthowandwhyinjustice
occurs.Iwanttounderstandandputafaceonthelargesocialjustice
issuesthatseemintangible,unsolvable.WhileIdonotpretendtofixan
entireeducationsystem,IdobelievethatifIcaninfluencehowan
individualfeelsabouttheirselfworth,Ihavegivenhopetothemandothers
thatchangeispossible.Itisacalmingreminderthatalthoughpeoplecanbebitterand
cruel,therearealsomanymorepeoplewhocareaboutthemandlovethembecausethey
areimportant.AndthatfriendshipissomethingthatIwouldcarrywithme,anditwould
fuelmypassiontocreatepositivesocialchange. Intheend,mygoalistobein

solidaritywiththepeoplethatsocietyhaslabeledundesirablesand
insteadhelpthemseethatinrealitytheyareheroes.Thisinternship
programwouldequipmewiththetoolsIneedtocontinuefreeing

myselfandothersofthelimitingparadigmsthatoppressionplaceson
allofus.